The present invention relates generally to mobile applications and mobile services. More specifically, embodiments of the invention allow for a virtual aggregation of mobile enablers, supporting functions, drivers and signaling that can be performed across different mobile network operators or different access networks.
While there is much hype about the potential of mobile devices and mobile applications to dramatically change the business world as we know it today, the fact of the matter is mobile applications have not been widely adopted by enterprises. Several reasons for the lack of adoption include security concerns, total cost of ownership for an enterprise to provision, support and manage a fleet of mobile devices and the impossibility to manage integration and agreements with a wide variety of mobile network operators (MNOs) thereby limiting the effective area of use for many mobile devices. Thus, despite recognizing a value and need for mobilizing a workforce, these factors combine in a manner that makes it difficult for an enterprise's information technology (IT) department to accurately identify the total cost of ownership and the return on investment associated with deploying such devices throughout the entire organization.
These same issues also limit the capability of third parties that develop applications for the mobile market. Such third parties need to repeat integration processes and reach agreements with multiple mobile network operators in order to ensure the largest possible market and ensure that each MNO supports roaming features for the third party's applications. Moreover, as different MNOs role out new mobile enablers (e.g., location services, mobile payment services, etc.), third party developers need to update their applications to support the new enablers for each MNO.
Despite the difficulty associated with integrating new mobile enablers into third party applications, MNOs are in a particularly competitive market that requires new features to be implemented on a regular basis or the MNO will not appear competitive within the marketplace and may lose market share to other MNOs who regularly adopt new features/enablers. Implementing new enablers is time consuming and expensive. Thus, the investments MNOs must make in order to “remain competitive” may be jeopardizing their financial health and future. The problem is exacerbated by the fact that many enterprises are slow to adopt mobile services due to the problems discussed above.